Loose-leaf ledger.



H. P. BUSHONG. LOOSE LEAF LEDGER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1903.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. F. BUSHONG.

LOOSE LEAF LEDGER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. 1903.

941,757. Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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STATES "UNELT PATENT OFFICE HAWRY BUSHONG, PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR,BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 KALAMAZOO LOOSE LEAF BINDER COTKPANY, ACORPORATION.

LOOSE-LEAF Lnnenn.

Patented Nov. 30,

Application filed March 21, 1903. Serial No. 148,994.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY F. BUSHONG, a citizen of the United States,and a residentof Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State ofOregon, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Loose-LeafLedgers, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, as constituting a part thereof. Y

My invention relates to the binding device, and also to the covers ofloose leaf account books; and it has for its object to eliminate certaininconvenient and objectionable features common to books of this kind.

The characteristic features of my invention are: The device for bindingthe sheets between the covers does not take up any room at the back ofthe book, nor cause there any hub or ridge, lifting the outer covers toany considerable incline, instead of allowing the same to liesubstantially flat .when the book is opened. The back strip connectingthe two covers automatically adjusts itself, that is, telescopes intothe binding edges of the covers in concordance with the opening andclosing of thebook'; and thus there is no formation of an interferingbulge or hub by such back strip, when the book is opened.

My binding device is of such construction that it may be adjusted to anynumber of leaves, and when adjusted will allow the free opening andclosin of the book, and besides insures that the leaves of the book,when opened, will lie fiat, whatever the number of sheets insertedbetween the cov ers. There is no minimum or maximum limitation on thenumber of sheets which construction, and simple in their operation maybe inserted between the covers of my book; it may be but a single sheetto begin with, and any desired number of sheets afterward added, fromtime to time. Furthermore the thickness of my book is never any greaterthan that of the two covers plus i The devices employed by me foraccomplishing said objects are both. simple in and adjustment, as willbe seen from the drawings.

plan section of the two covers of my book, (the book being open)illustrating the construction and operation of the binding device. Fig.2 shows my book closed, the covers being partly in section on a line :0,m, of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial plan section of the two covers takennear-their outer surface, and illustrates the construction and operationof the automatically adjustable back-strip, m. F g. at is a partialfront elevation, partly in longitudinal sectionof my book, when. closed,and further illustrates the'construction and operation of saidautomatically adjustable back strip. Fig. 5 is a front elevation, partlyin section of the central or back portion of my book, illustrating theappearance of such portion when my book is opened. Fig. 6 is a detailillustrating the means employed for removably fastening the ends of theelastic bands, 2 constraining the back strip, and Fig. 7 is a detail insection of theends of the binding cords, d, secured to the adjustableangle bar, 0.

Theletters designate the parts referred to. The two cover-sections, a,a, of my book are made of several thicknesses of straw board. In thesection, a, is made a rectangular cavity, 5, to contain the adjustableangle bar, c. Suchangle bar has holes at its two ends in which areinsertedthe ends of the binding cords, (Z, preferably of leather; heads6, being clamped on such ends. The binding cords are contained inlongitudinally'extending cavities, f, provided in both sections of thecover; and the fixed ends of such binding cords are secured by staples,g, in the section, a. Guide )lates, h, are secured at the binding edgesof. oth covers, to prevent the binding cords, (Z, from unduly wearingthose parts. The angle bar, 0 is adjusted by means-of ascrew rod, 2',held in a guide'bar, j, and inserted in a threaded perforation in saidangle bar, 0. The outer end of such screw-rod is provided with a headadapted to receive a key, Z.

outer surface of the covers are made pockets, n, to receive thetelescoping ends of the back strip, m. The margins of said ends of theback strip, are stiffened by strips of straw On the Figure 1 of thedrawings is a partial board, 0. To constrain the back strip, m, to itsproper position with respect to the opening and closing of the book, ithas fastened to it elastic bands p. The pockets, n, extend only for partof the length of the covers, the front portions of the two coversections being provided with cavities g, for containing the bands p, asillustrated in Fig. 3.

in Fig. 5.

back strip willbe extended around the The, free extremities of thebands, 2, may

tions. are constructed in such a way as .to provide recesses, o, theobject of which is to allow some freedom of motion to the binding marginof-the sheets, 40, when inserting and removing the same, as illustratedfor example, by the dotted line, 'w', in Fig. 5.

The sheets of paper to be bound in my book are rovided with theusualslots at their, binding margins; 'andthey are creased a shortdistance from the bindin margin so as to facilitate the turning anarranging of the same, when the book is opened.

.When my book is opened the elastic bands,

22, will draw the back strip, m, taut as shown When my book is closedsuch bound margins of the sheets as shown in Fig. l. It will also beobserved'from Fig. 5, that when my book is open the bindingcords, d, byreason of being constructed of a flexible material, will assume aposition enabling the proper flat arrangement of the leaves of the book.v 1

By reason of the back of my book when opened resting fiat on the tableit is firm and convenient to write on.

The sheets of paper tobe inserted in my book require only a narrowbinding margin,

because of the flexibility of the bindingcords, d.

To insert or remove the sheet of paper, is the work of but a moment. Afew turns of thescrewrod, 2', loosening the binding cords,

d,so that the covers may be pulled apart and sheets of paper removed orinserted; and a few further turns of such screw-rod,

in the reverse direction, againfclamping thebinding edges of the coverstightly upon the binding margins of the inserted sheets.

Of course the described construction of the angle-bar c, and the meansfor adjusting the same to tighten and release again the binding cords,are subject to mechanical The ends of'the bands, 1),-

pose specified.

modification which it is not important to consider.

lt will be observed that the bar, 0, has;

projecting members, 0, 0 joined to a socket, 0 the wholeconstituting atriangle. This construction may be adopted for obtaining greaterstrength. It is also to be noted that the telescoping feature of theback-strip may be used in onecover section only; that isto say, only onesection of the covers being rovided with a pocket in which one end 0 theback-strip telescopes, while the other end of the back-strip is rigidlyfastened to the other section of the cover. The back strip may also bemade. entirely out of spring steel.

7 What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1.. A temporary binder, comprising two covers, the binding edges ofwhich are made with recesses 11, to accommodate-the binding margins ofthe leaves, bound between the covers; binding cords d, connecting thecovers, and means for tightening and loosening again said binding cords,substantially as described. a

2. In a temporary binder, the combination of covers, one of'which isprovided with a pocket; a back strip, one of the ends of Y which isarranged to telescope into said pocket, the other being connected to theother cover; binding cords .connecting the said covers; and means fortightening and loosening said binding cords, for the pur- 8. A separateleaf book, comprising two cover sections a pocket n on the exterior ofone of such cover .sections,a back strip one end of which telescopes insaid pocket and the other end. thereof being fastened to the othercoversection, an elastic band connecting the telescoping end of the backstrip to 'the cover sectlon and by which band the back strip isconstrained and adjusted relatively with the opening and closing of thebook, binding cords connecting the two cover sections and means fortightening and loosen-. ing again such binding cords.

4. A separate leaf-Ibook, comprising two cover sections, a pocket n onthe exterlor of one of such cover sections, a back strip one end .ofwhich telescopes in said pocket and the.other end thereof-being fastened.to the other cover section, an elastic band connectmg the telescopingend of the back strip to f the cover section and by which band the backstrip is constrained and adjusted relatively with the opening andclosing of the book, binding cords connecting the two'cover sections, anadjustable bar to which the ends'of the binding cords are fastened, andmeans each-cover sectlon, a back strip the ends of .for adjusting saidbar to tighten andloosen 'cover sections,

which telescope in said pockets, bands con- 'necting the telescopingends of the back stri s to the cover sections and by which the bac stripis constrained and adjusted relatively with the opening and closing ofthe book, binding cords connecting the two cover sections, and means fortightening and lossening again such binding cords. i

G. A separate leaf book, comprising two ockets n on the exterior of eachcover sectlon, a back strip the ends of which telescope in said pockets,bands connecting the telescoping ends of 'the back strips to the coversections and by which the back strip is constrained and adjusted relatively withthe opening and closing of the book, binding cords connectingthe two cover sections, an adjustable bar to which the ends of thebinding cords are fastened, andmeansfor adjusting said bar to tightenand loosen v again said binding cords.

7. A separate lea'f book comprisingtwo cover sections, one of suchsections being provided with a pocket, n, a back-strip, one of the endsof which telescopes insaid pocket, the other end being secured to theother cover section; binding cords, cl, connecting the two covers; anadjustable bar, 0, to which the ends of such binding cordsareattached;'means for'preventingthe undue wear of the binding edges of thecovers by said binding cords; and means'for adjusting said bar, c, therebeing cavities in the covers for containin said blnding cords, and theadjusting d'evlcestherefor; substantially as described. I .v

8. In a separate leaf bobk, comprising two cover sections, one of whichis made-with a pocket n, and a longitudinal cavity; a back strip, oneofthe ends of which telescopes in said pocket, the other end beingsecured to the other cover section; an elastic band in said cavity, oneof the ends of which band is attached to the free end of the back strip,and the otherend to the cover, and which band constrains thecov'er inaccordance with the opening and closing of the book;-binding cordsd,-connecting the two covers, and means for tightening and looseningagain such binding cords, substantially as de'; scribed.

9. In a separate leaf book, comprising two cover sections, one of whichis provided with a pocket 72-, and a longitudinal cavity; a back strip,one of the ends of which telescopes in said pocket, the other end beingsecured to the other cover section; an elastic band in said cavity, oneof the ends of which band is attached to the free end of the back strip,and the other end to the cover, and which band constrains the backstrip. in accordance with the opening and closing of the book; bindingcords d, connecting the two: covers;

' an adjustable bar 0, to which the'ends of such binding cordsareattached; means for ing also 'cavities'in the covers for containing saidbinding cords, and the adjusting devices therefor, substantially asdescribed.

10. A separate leaf book, comprising two cover sections,'respectively,made with pockets n, and longitudinal cavities; a back strip the twoends.of which telescope in said pockets; elastic bands in said cavities,the ends of which bands connect the endsiof back strip with the cover,so as to constrain the back strip, in accordance with the opening andclosing of the book; binding cords (1, connecting the two covers; andmeans for tightening and loosening again the ,binding cords; there beingalso cavitiesin the covers for containing said binding cords,and theadjusting devices therefor, substantially as described.

cover sections respectively made with pockets n, 'and longitudinalcavities; a back strip, the two ends of which telescope in said pockets;elastic bands in said cavities the ends of which bands connect said endsof the back strip, with the covers 11. A separate leaf book comprisingtwo so as to constrain the back strip in accordance with'the opening andclosing of the book; binding cords, d, connecting the two covers, anadjustable bar, 0, to which the ends of such binding cords areattached;'

means for preventing the undue wear of the binding edges of the coversby saidbinding cords; and means for adjusting said bar, 0,

there being also cavities in the covers for containing said bindingcords, and the ad-' justing devices therefor, substantially as describe12. A separate leaf book, comprising two cover sections, respectively,made with pockets n, and longitudinal cavities; a back strip the twoends of which telescope in said pockets; elastic bands in said cavltiesattached to the telescoping ends of the back strip; means for'removab'ly attaching the outer ends of said elastic bands to thecovers, so as to constrain the back strip in accordance with the openingand closing of the book; .binding .cords, d, connecting the two covers;an adjustable bar 0, -to which the ends of such binding cords areattached; means for preventing the undue wear of the binding edges ofthe covers by said binding cords; and means for adjusting said bar 0;there bein alsocavities inthe covers for containing sai binding cords,and the adjusting devices of a pair of swinging covers, one of which isprovided with an internal recess or chamber, binding stripsto which theloose leaves are secured extending between the covers, and adjustingmechanism for the strips situoutsi e'of the chamberwithout opening or Iuncovering the same. .14. In a temporary binder or loose sheet atedwithin said recess or. chamber in the cover and arranged to'be operatedfrom the holder, the combination with a' pair of eovers, one of which isprovided with an internal recess or chamber, of binding strips to whichthe leaves are secured extending be; tween the covers; and an adjustingscrew for said bindingstrips arranged in said re.

. cess lon 'tudinally of the cover, said "screw the cover by means 0 akey which may be i 15 being a pted to be 0 erated from without engagedtherewith at the outer end of'the cover.

I 15. In a loose leaf binder, the combination with a pair of covers, oneof which is provided with aninternal recess or chamber,

of binding strip s to which the leaves are secured extending betweenthecovers; and an adjusting screw for said' strips situated within saidrecess or chamber in the cover l and adapted to be mani ulated fromwithwithin said recess or'chamber in the co iler and ma ma to beoperated by means of a key wit out opening or uncovering the chamber.

HAR Y F; BUS ONG. Witnesses'z" T. J. seem, MAE Lone. T

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto ab 1 fixed my signature inthe'presence of two witnesses-this 5th da ofFebrua 1903.

